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Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 2.14.18

posted by PHADP
on Wed, 02/14/2018 - 11:59

Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 2.14.18

The most important headlines of the week for all of us who believe and hope for justice in Alabama were the ones which brought the news that Senator Hank Sanders who had qualified to run for a 10th term decided against doing this on Friday and that his daughter, Malika Sanders-Fortier, will run instead. No one in any elected office in this state has ever done more for justice than Senator Hank Sanders. For us Senator Sanders was the one we could always count on to be there and to give us hope year after year after year. So it is natural that we are sad but as a friend we are also glad to know that he will experience some well deserved relief and enjoy the satisfaction of passing the torch to the next generation.

Our thanks and appreciation to Senator Hank Sanders who once more introduced death penalty reform bills! They are SB 103, a 3 year death penalty moratorium, SB 104, abolition of the death penalty, SB106 retroactive ban on judicial override, SB 118 establishes procedures to determine if a capital defendant is ineligible for the death penalty due to an intellectual disability and finally SB119 prohibits the death penalty for offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Although this has already been established federally Alabama still has not passed this.

Our thanks and appreciation also to Representative Merika Coleman for HB 233 which would impose a 3 year moratorium. So far none of the above bills has moved out of the Senate or House Judiciary Committee.

At this point Doyle Lee Hamm’s execution is only one week away. The 11th Circuit vacated the stay and ordered an emergency medical examination and ordered the district court to make findings (in light of the exam) by 5pm on 2/20. As already stated Hamm has been battling cranial and lymphatic cancer for over three years. Treatment has compromised his veins, and lethal injection would likely cause "cruel and needless pain". Many of you have already contacted Governor Ivey on his behalf and today we especially thank Advisory Board Member Judy Collins for her eloquent letter and urge you to continue to do so.